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Zhong R, Liu S, Chen S, Zhao L, Yang D. Satellite observations reveal anthropogenic pressure significantly affects the suspended particulate matter concentrations in coastal waters of Hainan Island. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 365:121617. [PMID: 38968896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Suspended particulate matter (SPM) plays a crucial role in assessing the health status of coastal ecosystems. Satellite remote sensing offers an effective approach to investigate the variations and distribution patterns of SPM, with the performance of various satellite retrieval models exhibiting significant spatial heterogeneity. However, there is still limited information on precise remote sensing retrieval algorithms specifically designed for estimating SPM in tropical areas, hindering our ability to monitor the health status of valuable tropical ecological resources. A relatively accurate empirical algorithm (root mean square error = 2.241 mg L-1, mean absolute percentage error = 42.527%) was first developed for the coastal SPM of Hainan Island based on MODIS images and over a decade of field SPM data, which conducted comprehensive comparisons among empirical models, semi-analytical models, and machine learning models. Long-term monitoring from 2003 to 2022 revealed that the average SPM concentration along the coastal wetlands of Hainan Island was 6.848 mg L-1, which displayed a decreasing trend due to government environmental protection regulations (average rate of change of -0.009 mg L-1/year). The seasonal variations in coastal SPM were primarily influenced by sea surface temperature (SST). Spatially, the concentrations of SPM along the southwest coast of Hainan Island were higher in comparison to other waters, which was attributable to sediment types and ocean currents. Further, anthropogenic pressure (e.g., agricultural waste input, vegetation cover) was the main influence on the long-term changes of coastal SPM in Hainan Island, particularly evident in typical tropical ecosystems affected by aquaculture, coastal engineering, and changes in coastal green vegetation. Compared to other typical ecosystems around the globe, the overall health status of SPM along the coast wetlands of Hainan is considered satisfactory. These findings not only establish a robust remote sensing model for long-term SPM monitoring along the coast of Hainan Island, but also provide comprehensive insights into SPM dynamics, thereby contributing to the formulation of future coastal zone management policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Songlin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Shiquan Chen
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou, 570100, China.
| | - Linhong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Dingtian Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, Sanya, 572000, China.
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Zhang W, Huang R, Deng S, Wang W, Wang Y. Spatio-temporal distribution of sea surface chlorophyll-a in coral reefs of the South China Sea over the past decade based on Landsat-8 Operational Land Images. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 935:173433. [PMID: 38782288 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The concentration of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in seawater reflects phytoplankton growth and water eutrophication, which are usually assessed for evaluation of primary productivity and carbon source/sink of coral reefs. However, the precise delineation of Chl-a concentration in coral reefs remains a challenge when ocean satellites with low spatial resolution are utilized. In this study, a remote sensing inversion model for Chl-a was developed in fringing reefs (R2 = 0.76, RMSE =0.41 μg/L, MRE = 14 %) and atolls (R2 = 0.79, RMSE =0.02 μg/L, MRE = 8 %), utilizing reflectance data from the sensitive band of the Landsat-8 Operational Land Imagers (OLI) with a spatial resolution of 30 m. The aforementioned model was utilized to invert high-resolution distribution maps of Chl-a concentration in six major coral reef regions of the South China Sea from 2013 to 2022 and subsequently used to analyze the variations in Chl-a concentration and its influencing factors. The results indicate a Chl-a concentration gradient among coral reefs Daya Bay, Weizhou Island, Luhuitou, Xuwen, Huangyan Island, and Xisha Island in that order. The Chl-a concentration in coral reefs exhibited an overall increasing trend, with significant seasonal fluctuations, characterized by higher concentrations during winter and spring and lower concentrations during summer and autumn. The concentration of Chl-a in coral reefs was positively correlated with the average wind speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Rongyong Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Songwen Deng
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Wenhuan Wang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yinghui Wang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
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Can Forel–Ule Index Act as a Proxy of Water Quality in Temperate Waters? Application of Plume Mapping in Liverpool Bay, UK. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14102375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The use of ocean colour classification algorithms, linked to water quality gradients, can be a useful tool for mapping river plumes in both tropical and temperate systems. This approach has been applied in operational water quality programs in the Great Barrier Reef to map river plumes and assess trends in marine water composition and ecosystem health during flood periods. In this study, we used the Forel–Ule colour classification algorithm for Sentinel-3 OLCI imagery in an automated process to map monthly, annual and long-term plume movement in the temperate coastal system of Liverpool Bay (UK). We compared monthly river plume extent to the river flow and in situ water quality data between 2017–2020. The results showed a strong positive correlation (Spearman’s rho = 0.68) between the river plume extent and the river flow and a strong link between the FUI defined waterbodies and nutrients, SPM, turbidity and salinity, hence the potential of the Forel–Ule index to act as a proxy for water quality in the temperate Liverpool Bay water. The paper discusses how the Forel–Ule index could be used in operational water quality programs to better understand river plumes and the land-based inputs to the coastal zones in UK waters, drawing parallels with methods that have been developed in the GBR and Citclops project. Overall, this paper provides the first insight into the systematic long-term river plume mapping in UK coastal waters using a fast, cost-effective, and reproducible workflow. The study created a novel water assessment typology based on the common physical, chemical and biological ocean colour properties captured in the Forel–Ule index, which could replace the more traditional eutrophication assessment regions centred around strict geographic and political boundaries. Additionally, the Forel–Ule assessment typology is particularly important since it identifies areas of the greatest impact from the land-based loads into the marine environment, and thus potential risks to vulnerable ecosystems.
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Tian F, Fan Y, Gao J, Huang J. A novel lake-zoning framework for large lakes based on numerical modelling. ECOL INFORM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Canto MM, Fabricius KE, Logan M, Lewis S, McKinna LIW, Robson BJ. A benthic light index of water quality in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 169:112539. [PMID: 34153875 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Good water quality is essential to the health of marine ecosystems, yet current metrics used to track water quality in the Great Barrier Reef are not strongly tied to ecological outcomes. There is a need for a better water quality index (WQI). Benthic irradiance, the amount of light reaching the seafloor, is critical for coral and seagrass health and is strongly affected by water quality. It therefore represents a strong candidate for use as a water quality indicator. Here, we introduce a new index based on remote sensing benthic light (bPAR) from ocean color. Resulting bPAR index timeseries, based on the extent to which the observed bPAR fell short of the locally- and seasonally-specific optimum, showed strong spatial and temporal variability, which was consistent with the dynamics that govern changes in water clarity in the Great Barrier Reef. Our new index is ecologically relevant, responsive to changes in light availability and provides a robust metric that may complement current Great Barrier Reef water quality metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marites M Canto
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB3, Townsville MC, QLD 4810, Australia; AIMS@JCU, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
| | - Katharina E Fabricius
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB3, Townsville MC, QLD 4810, Australia; AIMS@JCU, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Murray Logan
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB3, Townsville MC, QLD 4810, Australia
| | - Stephen Lewis
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, Catchment to Reef Research Group, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Lachlan I W McKinna
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; Go2Q Pty Ltd, Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
| | - Barbara J Robson
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB3, Townsville MC, QLD 4810, Australia; AIMS@JCU, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
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Xu K, Chi Y, Wang J, Ge R, Wang X. Analysis of the spatial characteristics and driving forces determining ecosystem quality of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:12555-12565. [PMID: 33078357 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11146-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Water shortage is one of the main hinder drivers of sustainable development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and ecological restoration is one of the main means to effectively curb ecological degradation. Addressing ecological degradation in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has been a major concern of the Chinese government, and this has led to a focus on intensified ecological restoration efforts in this area. However, the effect of these restoration actions is not clear. To understand how ecological restoration is impacting ecological quality in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, we used geographical information system technology, such as the vegetation index-biomass method and cumulative net primary production (NPP) method, to assess the change in ecosystem quality. We carried out the pixel binary model and Pearson's correlation coefficient analyses to understand the driving forces behind the change. Results showed that from 2000 to 2010, the quality of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei ecosystem has been improving, that natural vegetation is slowly re-establishing, and that there has been a slow increase toward climax communities. The change in ecosystem quality is positively correlated with the Sanbei shelterbelt and Beijing-Tianjin Sandstorm control project and negatively correlated with socioeconomic and agricultural factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaipeng Xu
- Chinese Academy for Ecology and Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Yanyan Chi
- Chinese Academy for Ecology and Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, China.
| | - Jingjing Wang
- Chinese Academy for Ecology and Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Rongfeng Ge
- Chinese Academy for Ecology and Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Xiahui Wang
- Chinese Academy for Ecology and Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, China
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Petus C, Waterhouse J, Lewis S, Vacher M, Tracey D, Devlin M. A flood of information: Using Sentinel-3 water colour products to assure continuity in the monitoring of water quality trends in the Great Barrier Reef (Australia). JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 248:109255. [PMID: 31352278 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
An operational method to assess trends in marine water composition and ecosystem health during flood periods has been developed for the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Queensland, Australia. This method integrates satellite water colour data with field water quality and ecosystem monitoring data and involves the classification of Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS satellite) pixels into six distinct water bodies using a "wet season" colour scale developed specifically for the GBR. Using this information, several monitoring and reporting products have been derived and are operationally implemented into a long-term water quality monitoring program for the GBR. However, MODIS sensors are aging and a long-term monitoring solution is needed. This study reviewed the water colour monitoring products currently used in the GBR. It tested the feasibility to transition these methods from historical MODIS satellite imagery to the new Sentinel-3 satellite of the European Space Agency and from the wet season colour scale to the historical Forel-Ule colour scale, using a freely-distributed Forel Ule (FU) Satellite Toolbox. Monitoring products derived from both satellites and colour scales showed very similar patterns across two case study regions of the GBR, the Wet Tropics and Burdekin marine regions, over the 2017-18 wet season. The results obtained in this study highlighted the potential of using FU Sentinel-3 imagery for the mapping of GBR marine water bodies, including flood conditions. Furthermore, the operational monitoring products and frameworks developed for the GBR are likely to provide valuable foundations for analysis of FU Sentinel-3 data in the future. Such satellite water colour datasets and frameworks will be instrumental to better understand the impact of floods and reduced water clarity on marine ecosystems, as well as to support water quality management and facilitate catchment management policy in the GBR and worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Petus
- Catchment to Reef Research Group, TROPWATER, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
| | - Jane Waterhouse
- Catchment to Reef Research Group, TROPWATER, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Stephen Lewis
- Catchment to Reef Research Group, TROPWATER, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Michael Vacher
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Australian E-Health Research Centre, Floreat 6014, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Dieter Tracey
- Catchment to Reef Research Group, TROPWATER, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Michelle Devlin
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory, Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
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8
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Wu C, Chen Y, Peng C, Li Z, Hong X. Modeling and estimating aboveground biomass of Dacrydium pierrei in China using machine learning with climate change. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 234:167-179. [PMID: 30620924 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.12.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Accurate estimations of the aboveground biomass (AGB) of rare and endangered species are particularly important for protecting forest ecosystems and endangered species and for providing useful information to analyze the influence of past and future climate change on forest AGB. We investigated the feasibility of using three developed and two widely used models, including a generalized regression neural network (GRNN), a group method of data handling (GMDH), an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), an artificial neural network (ANN) and a support vector machine (SVM), to estimate the AGB of Dacrydium pierrei (D. pierrei) in natural forests of China. The results showed that these models could explain the changes in the AGB of the D. pierrei using a limited amount of meteorological data. The GRNN and ANN models are superior to the other models for estimating the AGB of D. pierrei. The GMDH model consistently produced comparatively poor estimates of the AGB. Three climate scenarios, including the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5, were compared with the climate situation of 2013-2017. Under these scenarios, the AGB of D. pierrei females with the same diameter at breast height (DBH) would increase by 13.0 ± 31.4% (mean ± standard deviation), 16.6 ± 30.7%, and 18.5 ± 30.9% during 2041-2060 and 15.6 ± 32.1%, 21.2 ± 33.2%, and 24.8 ± 32.7% during 2061-2080; the AGB of males would increase by 16.3 ± 32.3%, 21.7 ± 32.5%, and 22.9 ± 32.6% during 2041-2060 and 22.3 ± 30.8%, 27.2 ± 31.8%, and 30.1 ± 34.4% during 2061-2080. The R2 values of all models range from 0.82 to 0.95. In conclusion, this study suggests that these advanced models are recommended to estimate the AGB of forests, and the AGB of forests would increase in 2041-2080 under future climate scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Wu
- Research Institute of Forest Resource Information Techniques, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China; Department of Biological Science, Institute of Environment Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yongfu Chen
- Research Institute of Forest Resource Information Techniques, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China.
| | - Changhui Peng
- Department of Biological Science, Institute of Environment Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Center for Ecological Forecasting and Global Change, College of Forestry, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Zhaochen Li
- Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojiang Hong
- Hainan Bawangling National Natural Reserve, Changjiang, 572722, Hainan, China
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Bainbridge Z, Lewis S, Bartley R, Fabricius K, Collier C, Waterhouse J, Garzon-Garcia A, Robson B, Burton J, Wenger A, Brodie J. Fine sediment and particulate organic matter: A review and case study on ridge-to-reef transport, transformations, fates, and impacts on marine ecosystems. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 135:1205-1220. [PMID: 30301020 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Studies documenting the effects of land-derived suspended particulate matter (SPM, i.e., particulate organic matter and mineral sediment) on marine ecosystems are typically disconnected from terrestrial studies that determine their origin, transport and fate. This study reviews sources, transport, transformations, fate and effects of SPM along the 'ridge-to-reef' continuum. We show that some of the SPM can be transported over long distances and transformed into large and easily resuspendible organic-rich sediment flocs. These flocs may lead to prolonged reductions in water clarity, impacting upon coral reef, seagrass and fish communities. Using the Great Barrier Reef (NE Australia) as a case study, we identify the latest research tools to determine thresholds of SPM exposure, allowing for an improved appreciation of marine risk. These tools are used to determine ecologically-relevant end-of-basin load targets and reliable marine water quality guidelines, thereby enabling enhanced prioritisation and management of SPM export from ridge-to-reef.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Bainbridge
- TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.
| | - S Lewis
- TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
| | - R Bartley
- CSIRO, Brisbane, Queensland 4068, Australia
| | - K Fabricius
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville MC, QLD 4810, Australia
| | - C Collier
- TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
| | - J Waterhouse
- TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
| | - A Garzon-Garcia
- Department of Environment and Science, GPO Box 5078, Brisbane 4001, Australia
| | - B Robson
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville MC, QLD 4810, Australia
| | - J Burton
- Department of Environment and Science, GPO Box 5078, Brisbane 4001, Australia
| | - A Wenger
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - J Brodie
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
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Wolff NH, da Silva ET, Devlin M, Anthony KRN, Lewis S, Tonin H, Brinkman R, Mumby PJ. Contribution of individual rivers to Great Barrier Reef nitrogen exposure with implications for management prioritization. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 133:30-43. [PMID: 30041318 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.04.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/28/2018] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) runoff from Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchments is a threat to coral reef health. Several initiatives address this threat, including the Australian Government's Reef 2050 Plan. However, environmental decision makers face an unsolved prioritization challenge: determining the exposure of reefs to DIN from individual rivers. Here, we use virtual river tracers embedded within a GBR-wide hydrodynamic model to resolve the spatial and temporal dynamics of 16 individual river plumes during three wet seasons (2011-2013). We then used in-situ DIN observations to calibrate tracer values, allowing us to estimate the contribution of each river to reef-scale DIN exposure during each season. Results indicate that the Burdekin, Fitzroy, Tully and Daintree rivers pose the greatest DIN exposure risk to coral reefs during the three seasons examined. Results were used to demonstrate a decision support framework that combines reef exposure risk with river dominance (threat diversity).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas H Wolff
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia; Global Science, The Nature Conservancy, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA.
| | - Eduardo Teixeira da Silva
- Catchment to Reef Research Group, Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - Michelle Devlin
- Catchment to Reef Research Group, Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia; Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft NR33 0HT, United Kingdom
| | - Kenneth R N Anthony
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB3, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia
| | - Stephen Lewis
- Catchment to Reef Research Group, Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - Hemerson Tonin
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB3, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia
| | - Richard Brinkman
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB3, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia
| | - Peter J Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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